How long do I have to wait to file for Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

You can file immediately - there's no waiting period to submit your initial claim. In fact, you should file as soon as possible because benefits are only paid from the date you file your claim, not from when you lost your job. Go to the Washington ESD website and start your application today.

Just to clarify - you can file right away but there IS a one-week waiting period before you can receive benefits. So even if you file today, your first payable week won't be until next week. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims every week though!

I was in your exact situation last month. Filed my claim the day after I got laid off and it was pretty straightforward. Just make sure you have all your employment info ready - dates, wages, reason for separation, etc. The online application takes about 30 minutes.

Don't wait! I made the mistake of waiting almost a week to file because I thought I needed to 'decompress' first. Big mistake - you lose out on that week of benefits permanently. File today if you can.

Actually had trouble getting through to Washington ESD on the phone when I needed help with my claim status. Kept getting busy signals or hung up on after waiting forever. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real person at ESD. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Pretty neat solution for when you can't reach them directly.

Here's what you need to know: File immediately online, have your employment history for the last 18 months ready, and be prepared to do job search activities starting your second week of claiming. You'll need to register with WorkSource Washington and keep a job search log.

i filed like 2 days after getting fired and it was fine. took forever to get my first payment tho

The sooner the better! I waited 5 days because I was embarrassed about being laid off and regretted it immediately. Those 5 days of benefits are just gone forever. File today, seriously.

Make sure you understand the difference between filing your initial claim and filing weekly claims. You file the initial claim once (do it now) but then you have to file weekly claims every week to get paid. Don't skip weeks even if you're looking for work.

WASHINGTON ESD MAKES EVERYTHING SO COMPLICATED. why cant they just pay people when they lose their jobs instead of all these hoops and waiting periods and forms

Pro tip: when you file, make sure you have your Social Security card, driver's license, and all your employment info for the past 18 months. Having everything ready makes the process much smoother.

I remember being confused about this too when I first got laid off. The key thing is there's no penalty for filing immediately, but there can be consequences for waiting. File as soon as you know you're unemployed through no fault of your own.

Another vote for filing immediately! I work in HR and I always tell people this when they're getting laid off. The Washington ESD system is set up to start benefits from your filing date, not from when you actually became unemployed.

Just want to echo what others have said - there's literally no benefit to waiting. I've been through this process twice and both times I filed within 24 hours of my last day of work. The system rewards promptness.

When I was having trouble reaching Washington ESD to check on my claim status, someone recommended Claimyr to me. It's a service that helps you get through to ESD agents when the lines are busy. Used it a couple times and it actually worked - got connected to real people who could help with my questions. Might be useful if you run into issues down the road.

One thing to keep in mind - even though you can file immediately, it might take a few days or even a week for your claim to be fully processed and activated. Don't panic if you don't see updates right away. The system can be slow but it works.

can confirm - filed same day I got laid off and had no issues. took about 10 days to get my first payment but that included the waiting week everyone mentioned

Final piece of advice - after you file your initial claim, you'll get some paperwork and instructions in the mail. Read everything carefully! The instructions will tell you exactly when to start filing weekly claims and what you need to do to stay eligible.

This thread is gold for anyone who's never filed before. Wish I had found something like this when I was first laid off years ago. Would have saved me a lot of stress and confusion!

Actually, I had a similar experience with Claimyr when I couldn't get through to ESD about an adjudication issue. The regular phone lines were useless - kept getting disconnected after waiting for hours. Claimyr got me through to someone who could actually explain what was happening with my claim. Worth checking out if you hit any roadblocks.